Undeath of Industrial Harmony
The House of Oquon and the Cabanites had been destroyed and Sasserine saved, but questions still remained as to why their ancient conflict has suddenly restarted after years in abeyance. Furthermore, important people had died in the conflict, and had shaken up the city. Background Sasserine was still in the early months of its revolutionary government and the future was still uncertain. The city had already been crippled by one strike, and so Sasserine Teraknian had arranged a replacement workforce should there be another. With the wizard Mulciber, she had concocted a plan to replace the city's labourers with a force of undead skeletons in the event of a strike. Meanwhile, the event known as the War of the Wielded had led to a spate of bloody murders across the city, and although Sir Reginald Ramsden had brought it to an end, some of the people killed and arrested had been important in the hierarchy of the Sasserine Workers' and General Union. Of those people arrested for their part, most of the aristocrats were able to use their influence to avoid charges, whereas some of the lowborn operatives of House Oquon and Cabanite imperativas had had the blame pinned squarely on them and were executed. There was a mood of discontent in the city, stirred by the union. Emil Dracktus, sensing an opportunity to finally become ennobled, decided to act. Synopsis General Strike One morning in early February, the funeral was held for several union officials. Many people attended, and Emil Dracktus gave the funeral oration. Pointing out the apparent double standards in how the aristocrats involved in the War of the Wielded were treated compared to the commoners involved in the same (neglecting the deaths of Laertes and Alara Islaran amongst others), Dracktus called a general strike - ostensibly with the aim of achieving justice. Inciting a Riot In response to the strike, Sasserine Teraknian and her allies mobilised Mulciber's skeleton taskforce to take over labouring from striking workers. People were horrified at this development. Our heroes travelled the town, enlisting the help of the Knights of the Raven and the Knights of the Chalice among others. After a series of negotiations between Emil Dracktus and the Dawn Council, our heroes managed to get an agreement for the strike to be called off and the union dismantled in return for the undead being destroyed and Emil Dracktus getting a seat on the Dawn Council. People and holy warriors came together the next day in a rally before the Cathedral of St. Cuthbert. The mood was riotous, and after some incitement, a riot indeed broke out. Sir Reginald Ramsden offered money for the capture of Sasserine Teraknian, the destruction of skeletons, and the death of Mulciber. People thronged throughout the city in a riot, tearing apart skeletons and seeking the wanted people. Third-Bloodiest Bar Fight Sasserine Teraknian, not knowing that she was in serious danger, was sat in a bar drinking with her guards and Sir Brendon Lorchester. Our heroes burst in and set about trying to capture her. However, her guards pinned them down and started to win the fight. Woadnaz escaped through a window, and saw a mob approaching the bar. He had the good sense to make them chase a fleeing Teraknian retainer, while the bar fight slowly turned against Teraknian and Lorchester. With most of their guards dead, Teraknian turned gaseous and fled through the ceiling, while Lorchester took position over a fallen Vondal and threatened to kill him. Calling Sir Brendon's bluff, our heroes attacked him. Lorchester defiantly decapitated Vondal, before being nailed to the wall by Valar's lance. Hunting Sasserine In all of the confusion, Sasserine Teraknian had managed to escape. Pursued by Landos, she fled across the rooftops and eventually stole a horse, managing to evade him. Our heroes then interrogated captured guards and discovered that Sasserine would likely flee aboard her ship - the Razor. Our heroes set out to find the ship, and discovered it docked in the Azure District. Several moved to head it off at the Arch of Teraknian, while Woadnaz pursued it in a ship of the Amedio Trading Concern with Vico Bevenin and Kigante Valeros. The battle was fought at the Arch of Teraknian. Woadnaz fired a mortar with lethal accuracy, crippling the Razor. Meanwhile: Landos, Kravian and Valar took out the crew of the ship with small-arms fire. Surrounded and unable to escape, Sasserine surrendered. Bevenin broke her fingers to prevent spell casting, and she was turned over to the authorities. Aftermath Sasserine was imprisoned awaiting trial, and Mulciber was torn apart by a mob keen to get a reward for killing him. Sir Reginald Ramsden was elected as chairman of the Dawn Council, and Caterina Teraknian went into hiding. The Razor was taken over by our heroes, who renamed it the Indefatigable and used it for their later expedition to the Isle of Dread. Cast of Characters Allies *Annah Teranaki *Vico Bevenin *Kigante Valeros *Guy de Molyneux *Darius Balthazar *Johanna von Prinzberg *Reginald Ramsden Enemies *Mulciber *Sasserine Teraknian *Brendon Lorchester Other NPCs *Emil Dracktus Monsters *Ogres *Skeletons Locations *Rythiae *New World *Argyria *Mocotan Region *Sasserine *Azure District *Shadowshore *Noble Borough *Champions' Town *Cudgel District Category:Adventure Category:Rise of Sasserine Category:Homebrew Adventure